


Stuck in a Rut

by InsanelyWriteful



Category: Blood and Chocolate (2007), Charlie Countryman (2013), Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom
Genre: Aiden dirty talks in public, Alpha Nigel, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta Aiden, Cock Worship, Commands, Desperation, Dirty Talk, Dry Humping, First Meeting, Fluff, M/M, Masturbation, Nipple Play, One Shot, Phone Sex, Pillow Hump, Praise, Romance, Rough Sex, Rutting, Semi-Public Sex, Sort of? - Freeform, Strangers, Strangers to Lovers, Teasing, True Mates, chocolatedogs - Freeform, coming untouched?, cursing, fantasies, going into rut, heterosexual sexual fantasies, humping, i do hope I tagged everything appropriately, jerking off, long fic, not among any of the pairs, public, sassy Aiden, sections of f/m, self-image issues, slight exhibitionism, slight hints of past abuse, this is Nigel after all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 09:31:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16890021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsanelyWriteful/pseuds/InsanelyWriteful
Summary: When life got Nigel down, somehow, someway . . . it always seemed to swing back around to kick him while he was down even harder than the first time. When an early rut strikes, his Alphan instincts go haywire and really land him in some trouble. But, when he tries to call a clinic to get some help, he gets quite the surprise. One that changes everything for him.





	Stuck in a Rut

**Author's Note:**

> Phew, this one took me a bit to write. It was quite the challenge! This is my first ever, fully finished smut fic. ^^ I'm so proud to have actually done this~ It was quite a big step for me because, as much as I like sensual stories, it is tough for me to write them confidently. But, I do love how this came out. It got a lot bigger than I expected. Can't just write a wham-bam, huh? X'D At least I didn't completely derail the sexy with emotional moments. Rather surprised that my first full smut fic turned out to be Omegaverse. XD
> 
> I want to say a BIG thank you to highermagic for helping me connect some scenes and who was so kind as to listen to me scramble to get this together. And a big thanks to BonesandScales for listening, as well, and always being so hyped~ You guys are the best~ Can't thank you enough!

Some days start out pretty good. Some days are shit right from the get-go. Maybe they get better as they go on. Other days . . . Other days seem like they were gonna be okay and then go straight to hell, slap you in the face and fuck you so hard up the ass that you don’t think there’s ever going to be another second where you’re not totally, fucking screwed from the moment you walk out the door.

Nigel didn’t notice it at first. It started out as just an annoying tingle. Something he brushed to the side so he could continue on with his day. Then . . . it got worse. It began with little things he didn’t take the time to notice. Like getting agitated over nothing. The hotel clerk looked at him like he’d nearly bitten his head off when he was only telling him to mind his own business. Sometimes he got annoyed over small stuff. He wouldn’t deny that. Sometimes little shit just pissed him off. But, he wouldn’t consider himself the sort to jump down _everybody’s_ throat over nothing.

Besides, it really wasn’t in his best interest to attract attention. Like flipping off the sales clerk when they didn’t get him his cigarettes fast enough. Or growl at some random asshole bumping into him. Getting into some stupid, petty fight would just make the cops’ day. They’d try to bust him for any small thing they could.

Which was why his current situation was _really_ landing him up shit creek! Sweat beaded on his forehead as he grabbed a lamp post for support, his heart rate picking up. He bumped his cheek into the metal, cooling his overheated skin. Sometime during his morning, his body started to heat up. His senses had started going haywire. Everything just seemed to smell . . . too good. And his attention was getting split. Almost like his usual brain was trying to go about everyday business while some other part of him had other plans. All he’d wanted to do was go to his meeting, settle things and then head back home to Romania. It was supposed to be small. It was supposed to be easy.

But an early rut is never small or easy.

_Surprise! A fuckin’ early rut._

Nigel bared his teeth, anger bubbling over him as he gripped the lamp post. He shook his head, not wanting to let himself get pulled into a mindless rampage. He wasn’t going down for something as stupid as his body messing up on him! He took a deep breath, knowing he needed to keep a clear head and think things through. His meeting was off, that much was certain. So, where did that leave him? He couldn’t just call off the meeting with no warning. But, he also couldn’t let them know he was in their territory and in a vulnerable rut. He’d be ripe for the picking then.

He shot off a quick text to Darko. Let him his sort it out.

_Got an early rut. Call off the meeting. Still in town. Don’t let them on to anything. I’ll be back when I can._

He sighed in relief when Darko shot him a quick confirmation text letting him know he’d handle things. He could always count on Darko to take care of shit when things got fucked up. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to think of what he should do next. Probably head straight back to his hotel. Take the edge off and order in.

He nodded to himself as he stumbled forward down the sidewalk. He made it a ways before things started getting hairy. It was slow going and then his vision went fuzzy. His nose getting irritated by the smells around him. The Alphas making his instincts raise its hackles, on edge, ready for a fight over nothing. And Omegas were starting to smell _way. Too. Good._

He shivered, squeezing his eyes shut. Walking was taking too much energy. Too much concentration. It was going to take too long. He needed to figure something else out. Something faster. Something . . .

Just then, a bus stopped at the bus stop just ahead of him and seemed to be going the way he needed. He gave a shaky smile.

_Perfect._

 

**.oOo.**

 

The bus was not perfect.

It had been a mistake the second he’d gotten onboard. Too many people. So many that he was standing up, his hold on a pole the only thing keeping him steady. The concentrated space was messing with his head. The vehicle was _packed_ with Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. He swayed, the dizziness really starting to hit him. He blinked rapidly, trying to keep his focus. Everything was starting to blur, his instincts and focus dwindling down to the basics of what his body was hungering for. He pressed his forehead against the bar he was clinging to, letting the metal cool his heated skin. His brain was panicking, trying to cling to what he needed to do to help himself.

He needed to get back. Someplace safe. Supplies. Things to help him with his needs.

What would _really_ help him through his needs would be an Omega. His nostrils flared at the thought, taking in all the scents around him. Some of them were Omegas. Ripe, fertile. Probably aching for an Alpha to give them a good, hard fuck. He could go up to one now. Maybe they’d fight him. Maybe they’d let him _chase_ them.

A growl rose up in his throat, unbeknownst to him, drawing attention from some of the other passengers. His face twitched as he stamped those thoughts down. He wasn’t an animal and it was fucked up to just attack someone. No, he needed to find someone and get some fucking relief. He could make it to a clinic. That would be better. They could find someone for him. A strained whimper cut off before it left his mouth. He didn’t want just anyone. He wanted someone special. Without his permission, thoughts of Gabi drifted through his brain. A fiery Omega like none he’d ever encountered before or since. Sweet-smelling Gabi with her red hair and sharp eyes. Her strength, her goodness, her passion. Her _nice_ ass.

He rocked his hips gently, his erection bumping against the pole as he was caught in his fantasy with Gabi. He remembered fucking her slick, dripping wet pussy, the smell driving him crazy. Her ass bouncing against his thighs while she rode him, nails digging into his shoulders as her head tipped back, a scream of pleasure echoing through his house. His hips picked up speed, recalling with a pleased huff how he could make his Gabi cry out for hours until her voice was hoarse and everyone would know without a doubt who she belonged to.

Memories dumped over him like a bucket of icy water. She didn’t belong to him. Not anymore. No, she was with _Charlie._ And damn if that didn’t flag his erection and make a fierce snarl erupt out of him!

“Hey, you’re scaring people. You need to calm down,” someone put a hand on his shoulder.

Nigel turned on him, tense and furious, using every ounce of his willpower not to viciously lash out at the stranger. Fortunately, he took his hand back and put them both up in a submissive, calming gesture, indicating he wasn’t a threat. Nigel knew it was stupid, but his instincts were going nuts and it was hard to keep them under control. Ruts were a fucking bitch to deal with.

“Do you need some help, young man?” An older woman asked, trying to be gentle with him.

Nigel’s breathing picked up, nodding and shaking his head, unsure of how to handle the situation. He was fucking losing it so bad! His rut was getting out of control.

“It’s indecent to be out like that.” Someone hissed, offended.

“He’s an Alpha. He can’t help it.”

“”Can’t help it.” That’s what they all say! You’re only encouraging bad behavior when you let them get off so easily!”

“Oh, shut it! Ruts can come out of nowhere just like heats for Omegas.”

“Yeah, but Alphas don’t get the shit Omegas get when we go out in public in heat! “They were asking for it.” You’re all a bunch of gross, disgusting—”

“Can the both of you shut up about politics? This guy needs some help.”

“No, what he really needs is for someone to call the police and make sure he doesn’t put people in danger like this again! It’s careless, negligent Alphas like him who—”

“Shut the fuck up! You wouldn’t be trying to tear an Omega a new asshole! You don’t know—”

Nigel closed his eyes tight, blocking out the rest of the argument and everyone trying to get to him to give him advice or help. She’d said police. He couldn’t do police. He needed to figure something out and _now._ He couldn’t stay on the bus. It was overwhelming him. All the smells. The heightening emotions snapping around him like lightning, trying to set off his own. People crowding him, making him feel trapped even as some people warned the well-intentioned off, knowing that overwhelming an Alpha in rut was a sure way to set one off and get some people hurt.

“Stop the bus!” He shouted above everyone, pushing his way past the crowd so he could get to the door. “Let me off. I need off. _Stopthefuckingbus._ ”

The bus barely slowed down before he slammed his shoulder into the doors and hit the sidewalk, trying to get away as quickly as possible. The bus had been a bad idea. A _really_ bad idea. He’d been better off walking. Now, all the excitement had hastened his rut and there was no way he was going to make it his hotel before it hit him full blast. And he had no fucking idea where he was, let alone a clinic! The sound of a bell jingling on a door caught his attention. He shook as he stepped inside the shop.

“Is there a clinic close by?” he bit out, pushing past the customers to the front of the line.

Anyone who had started to raise a few protests quickly shut up when he said that, understanding the dire nature of the situation immediately.

The clerk’s eyes widened, lips firming. “The closest one is a few miles away.”

No good.

“Where’s the nearest hotel,” he demanded, urgently, knowing he needed to get himself somewhere private soon. “It’s bad.”

The hotel was much closer and he was incredibly grateful that the clerk didn’t waste any time in giving him the directions he needed. And really fucking grateful to everyone else in line when they let him grab some random food and pay for it and get out in record time. He was going to need his energy and it was the best he could do for the time being.

And his luck kept up. He made it to the hotel and was checked in and given a key faster than he could say “I’m going into rut!” He slammed the door and was never so happy to see shitty wallpaper and crappy, antique furniture in all his life! He tossed off his jacket, it landing in the corner with a wet **_flop!_ **from being drenched with sweat. His body shivered at the cool air as he unbuttoned his shirt. The exposed skin tingled, his body reacting more strongly now that it was so sure it would get relief. Heat warmed through him again, making him grab the headboard to steady himself. He panted, trying to regain his composure.

It was going to be hell to deal with his rut alone. What he needed to do was get the edge off and then make a plan for how to deal with the rest of it. He needed to call Darko and start to set up—

Everything inside him clenched, clawing in agony for an Omega to please him. It was too much. He’d think about the details later. He needed . . . he needed . . .

He flopped on the bed, panting that much faster. He rucked up his shirt, needing to expose more skin and get more cooling relief. More touching. He reached down and palmed his erection through his pants. He rolled his hips into his hand, sighing at the pressure.

He unbuttoned his pants as fantasies flew into his head. Old desires from when he was younger, things he’d wanted to try. Stuff he’d done as soon as he’d gotten the chance. The good ol’ glory days. Like . . . fucking a room full of sluts. Omegas keening for him left and right, needing him now, now, _now._ Clawing at him, begging for it. Begging for his dick like it was the only thing that could satisfy them. Him being able to put them all back in line with a single word. His good, sweet, little Omegas. They’d have to wait their turn. But, they’d definitely _all_ have a turn.

His hard cock jutted from his pants as soon as he had them unzipped, saluting like a soldier ready for battle. He grabbed it and got to work, setting a strong rhythm right out the gate.

Bending someone over a counter and sliding home. Breasts swaying. Slapping her ass, making her moan just for him. Kicking it up a notch and really smacking their hips together.

His hand sped up, hips jumping  up to meet his movements, chasing his release. But . . . his brow knitted together. Not enough.

Getting blown in some dirty alley, fucking into their mouth. Calling them a whore. Them running their fingers behind him, grabbing his cheeks and pulling them apart, exposing his most vulnerable area to the open air like _he_ was the filthy, fucking whore. Everything out of his mouth coarse and obscene. Enough to make an Alpha blush! Then, getting fingered by the bitch as he got closer and closer. Using them, taking everything he needed.

He growled, needing more. He changed the rhythm and curled to his side. Switched fantasies again. To one of the ones he’d never tried. Couldn’t afford to try.

Getting off. Getting off _so good_. To an Omega bigger than him holding him down, fucking him so good that his eyes went crossed. Taking him from behind like he was a bitch in heat. Calling him Omega, slapping his ass, dirty talking the ever-loving shit out of him! And he loved. Oh, he loved every fucking second of it!

Nigel moaned, reaching behind him to rub a finger against his ass. It didn’t feel right. _None_ of it felt right! He snarled, yanking his hands away to put his forearm over his face, breathing hard, more frustrated than before.

There’d only been one person who’d felt right.

 “Gabi . . .” he straight up whined, aching for her with every fiber of his being.

The over-the-top fantasies and dirty thoughts just wasn’t going to do it for him anymore and he knew it. Had known it for years. He was older, he’d been in some good, beautiful, _loving_ relationships.

Love.

He wanted it. He wanted it _so_ bad. More than he wanted to fuck or get fucked. He wanted to be loved. Damn, did he want someone to care about him again!

Tears pricked in the corner of his eyes as he curled up, emotions getting the better of him. His heart ached as much as his dick then. Crying out for Gabi. For what they’d had. She’d be able to take care of him. Just like she always had. She knew him so well. Knew just what he liked, how he felt. Like she could practically read his fucking mind. They’d been so good together. So good . . .

He remembered running his hands through her short, red hair. Getting a good grip before giving it a solid tug, getting her even hotter for him. Her breaking their deep kiss so she could bite at his lower lip, pulling just hard enough that he’d feel it later. Be able to rub his tongue against the ache and think of her all day. Hovering over her, caging her in, just how they liked it. Her feeling safe and protected. Him feeling like, for just that moment, they were the only people in the world. Sometimes he’d just stare at her for a moment, taking her in, wondering at how he got so lucky. And she’d smile at him, partly coy, partly self-conscious, asking him what was wrong. But, nothing was ever wrong. No, Gabi made everything right.

He could spend days just kissing her, caressing her, making her come. Hell, he swore he could have spent a lifetime just looking at her. Or listening to her talk about her day. Or when she played her music.

Being with Gabi was never fucking. It was making love. He’d learned that when you had the right person, no matter how dirty or fucked up you got, it was all love. Making out in front of the group. Getting wasted and letting things get out of hand. Beating the hell out of someone for touching her and then running off to have sex. It was all love. Messy, crazy, beautiful love.

_There’s only one reason a man would act this stupid. Charlie, are you in love?_

_Her name is Gabi._

Nigel snarled, thrown out of his happy memories like a cheap hooker tossed to the curb. _Fuckin’ Charlie._ It always came back to him. He was the reason why his Gabi was gone. _He_ was the reason he was alone in some slum hotel, desperately trying to beat off to old memories like the biggest lovesick loser in the world.

He sat up, fingers clawing into the bed, shoulders hunched. The rat bastard didn’t deserve his Gabi! He’d bet the pathetic, piece of shit Beta couldn’t keep her satisfied, either. No knot to fill her up, locking them together like no one else could. No strength to protect her, keep other Alphas away. He was a lowlife and would never, ever be good enough for her!

He huffed, nostrils flared, teeth gritted as he glared at nothing. He tensed all the more before suddenly releasing the tension, closing his eyes on a sigh. He didn’t want Gabi to be sad. Even if they weren’t together anymore, he wanted her to be happy. She deserved to be happy.

He rested in head in his hands, fingers curling around the strands of his hair falling around him. He was just bullshitting himself, anyway. Alphas, Betas, Omegas, what did it matter? Charlie—he choked on a growl just thinking the name—made her happy . . . when he couldn’t anymore. Alpha or Beta ain’t got fuck to do with it. It was just his rut talking. Wanting to protect the person he’d once called mate.

The idea of not being good enough for Gabi in comparison to _him_ made Nigel’s blood come to a boil. He clenched his fists and stood up, stomping to one side of the room, prowling, trying to get rid of his energy in some way. _Any_ way. Then, a thought occurred to him. Plenty of rutting Alphas used violence as a substitute for sex. Maybe he could blow off some steam thinking about all the ways he’d love to _kill him._  That brought a malicious gleam to his eye as a smile curved across his face. Oh, yeah. Bloodlust might be just the solution for plain old lust getting you down.

He grinned, remembering how good it’d felt to knock Charlie’s teeth in. Pile driving him into the asphalt. Black and blue with a coating of blood was a good look on Charlie. Though, there were some permanent alterations he could think of that would have really completed the look. Like digging his thumbs into his sockets until his eyeballs popped. Or breaking every last one of his fingers. Pulling out his teeth. One. By. One.

He paced the room, vicious energy coming off him in waves and only growing stronger. He could have left Charlie hanging upside down some place. Let him get dizzy from the blood going to his dumbass skull. Let him lose feeling in his limbs. Fuck him up so bad that he wouldn’t be able to recognize life anymore right side up. Keep him alive, but just barely. Enough that he could beat him every day before heading in to work.

 _Gabi looking up at him, tears in her eyes, scared. Scared of_ him. _Begging Nigel, with just a look, that he wouldn’t kill him._

Everything welled up inside him and it became too much to handle. With a roar he turned on his heel and slammed his fist into the wall, watching a large crack crawl up it from the impact. It’d helped, but only a little. And he was frustrated all over again. Sure, the idea of Charlie dying was good, but . . . it’d still make Gabi sad. And the thought of her being sad was enough to make him put it all aside. Her. Charlie. Everything.

He obviously couldn’t handle his rut on his own. He needed help. He couldn’t keep torturing himself. Heat enveloped him again, along with a tingling sensation of unfulfilled need. He’d just been distracting himself, delaying the inevitable. His rut was still there and ready to slam into him like a heavy duty truck. He stomped back over to the bed then sat down, leaning over to check the side table cabinet. Once he found the phonebook, he quickly flipped through to the medical section, needing an emergency clinic number and fast. They’d be able to get him to a phone sex operator in no time. Someone fucking trained to deal with the kind of shit he was so not able to handle right then.

His vision went in and out as he scanned the page, a dizziness overwhelming him. The lines, letters and numbers blurred together, almost like they were swimming across the page. It was . . . hypnotic. He stared, head bobbing, mouth hanging open. He shook his head and blinked a few times, but it hardly did anything to shake the feeling. He’d wasted so much time on _bullshit._ He closed his eyes, trying to regain his composure. Unfortunately, he only felt all the more disoriented when he opened them back up again. He let out a grunt, annoyed at how far gone he was.

 _“This is ridiculous,”_ he gritted out, tensing with pent-up frustration.

Once he saw the clinic number, he jerked out his cell phone and dialed as fast as he could with his shaky hands, fingers fumbling over the keypad.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up,” he whispered, his leg doing an agitated twitch as he impatiently waited for the call to go through.

_Please._

 

**.oOo.**

 

Aiden maneuvered through the busy square, angling himself as he brushed past people. He looked up, slowing his steps as he passed by a particularly pleasing piece of architecture. He tilted his head, observing the building’s design. That might be a nice background piece for . . .

A man bumped into him, annoyed that he was just standing in the way and mumbled about him “staring at nothing like a jackass.” Aiden stumbled out of the way and gave him a placating gesture before leaving with a one fingered salute. He noted the area, considering returning to do some sketches. He needed some good shots for his upcoming graphic novel.

He continued his tour, looking at the buildings, craning his head this way and that, pondering on styles, angles, lighting, everything to get the right effect he wanted.

His phone went off, playing Scooby Doo Where Are You? He needed to change the darn thing. He was always compelled to listen to the song for a bit before answering. He’d accidentally missed calls from his publisher way too many times.

He bobbed his head as he retrieved it from his pocket, smiling at some of the people around him who bobbed along and gave him approving smiles. He looked at the caller ID and tilted his head, his eyebrows scrunching together. He didn’t know the number.

Aiden tapped his foot to the music for a second, considering the situation. Most likely, it was some ad or something. Or a scam. But, it could also be a wrong number. Any normal person would have let the music play out or hung up. Buuuut, Aiden had never been very normal. He was just too curious to see what might happen.

So, he let the call connect and brought it up to his ear and simply said, “Hello?”

There was heavy breathing from the other side.

Some kind of pervert? Creepy, but definitely interesting. He’d give them that.

“Hellllloooooo?” he dragged the word out, wondering if he was going to get anything more than breathing.

“Give me a goddamn second to collect my thoughts! _Jesus,_ ” the person on the other end growled at him.

Aiden blinked, his mouth parting in surprise. Well, he hadn’t expected _that._ It was out of nowhere and pretty rude, but the growl was kinda hot.

“Sure, sure,” he said, more and more curious. “Take your time.”

The man huffed for a second. He almost sounded like he was . . . in pain? “O-Okay. I think I’m good for a second. Oh, _fuckkkk,”_ he hissed, cutting himself off.

“Are you okay?”

 _“No, I’m not fucking okay!”_ Aiden angled his head away from his phone, wincing at the volume. “What kind of stupid question is that?!”

“I dunno. I figured it’s something people say to people when they’re worried about them.” It seemed like a reasonable thing to say. At least to Aiden.

“Okay, listen. I don’t know what kind of place you’re running or if you’re new or some shit, but I’m gonna be straight with you. I need some help. I need an Omega. Just somebody to help me through, okay? I don’t need anything fancy. Just whatever you got.”

Aiden was quiet for a second, wondering what in the world the guy was going on about.

“Where the fuck did you go now?! This is an emergency!”

The desperate tinge to the man’s voice knocked Aiden out of his confused daze and made him take pity on the man. He really did sound in a bad way. He didn’t know what an Omega was going to do for someone in pain, but he clearly needed to stop wasting his time. “You know . . . I’m pretty sure you have the wrong number. It’s just me over here.”

“What do you mean just you?” he bit out. “Aren’t you with a clinic?”

“Nope. Just a regular nobody.” Clinic . . . ?

And it almost sounded like the man _whimpered._ “Oh, I don’t think I can dial again, darling. I’m losing it. I’m losing it in a bad way. I’m barely hanging on by a thread here. Can _you_ help me???”

“Help you with wh . . .” Aiden trailed off, everything suddenly starting to click in place for him. “ _Oh!_ You’re an Alpha in rut, aren’t you?”

The sound the man made was equal parts stressed, in pain and relieved. _“Yes, darling.”_

 Aiden bit his lip, feeling for the poor man. And hating that he’d wasted so much of his time. Ruts and heats were serious business. “I think you better try again. I just really don’t think I’ll be able to help you out.”

“Have you ever had sex before?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you’re perfect for me, sweetheart. You got everything I need.”

“Yeah . . . but I’ve never given anybody phone sex before.” He ruffled his hair, feeling a little embarrassed.

“We’ll wing it.”

“You miiiiight be a bit disappointed, though.” Aiden twirled a curl around his finger. “I'm a Beta.”

There was a grunt and something that sounded like the man was thumping his forehead on a table. “I don't give a _fuck_ about what dynamic anybody is!” He growled, impatiently. “I just need some help to get the edge off so I can get my head together again!”

Aiden thought about it as he listened to the man’s ragged breathing. He’d asked for interesting and he’d certainly got it in spades! On one hand, he really wasn’t prepared or somewhere private where he’d be able to help properly. On the other hand, the Alpha sounded like he needed some serious help. Heck, he’d be doing society a favor in reining in a rutting Alpha. Plus, there really was something sexy about the idea of being needed or being someone’s only hope. Though, what was really wooing him and swaying him towards the Alpha’s cause was just how little dynamics meant to him in the grand scheme of things. Soooo many people were too traditional, too old school, about the dumb shit. It was refreshing to hear someone, even reduced to their most basic self, tell the system to go fuck itself.

Plus, it was nice, as a “common Beta”, to be wanted so desperately. He’d never had anyone lose their head over _him_ before. Sure, he was pretty or fun to hang out with but . . . dynamics meant a lot to people. Alphan and Omegan instincts would always cry out for one another. Never a Beta . . .

But not today~ Today, it was his turn to drive an Alpha crazy! He definitely liked the idea of taking a walk on the wild side.

“All right,” he smiled, tilting his chin up, accepting the challenge. “I’ll do it.”

The man made a relieved noise. _“Thank you_ , angel. It means a hell of a lot to have some help right now.”

“No problem,” he replied, easy-going.

He started walking again, deciding he better head home. It would take a while and he wasn’t going to get anywhere private anytime soon, but he also wasn’t about to be getting anymore work done, either.

“So, you just want me to dirty talk or something?” He asked, shooting the old lady who gasped at him in shocked outrage as he went by an apologetic smile. He rolled his shoulder, shifting his satchel bag into a higher position. “Do you have, like, a preference or something? Likes? Dislikes?”

Nigel’s shoulders shook with silent, half-delirious laughter. Sweat poured off his face, creating a puddle on the side table where he thumped his head against it a few more times once again. “Sweetheart, I’m not that complicated. Just,” he groaned, his painfully rock hard erection throbbing at him in discomfort. It took him a second to compose himself, his hips beginning to gently rock of their accord. “Just do whatever c-comes natural to you. Whatever you like.”

“Whatever I like, huh?” Aiden smiled, considering his position. There was definitely something exciting about having an Alpha keening for him. “What if I’m into some kinky shit?”

The noise that came over the phone sounded like it wanted to be a laugh but sounded much too bleak to pass for one. “I was _this_ close to losing control on a bus a little while ago. Started humping a pole like a fuckin’ dog.”

Aiden choked on a laugh, jaw dropping in surprise. He covered his mouth, trying to spare the guy’s feelings, but—“Holy—are you serious?! Wow!”

“Yeah, “wow”s a way to describe it. Barely made it to this rinky-dink, piece of shit hotel I’m at.” he huffed, still sounding distressed. “So, yeah, go wild. Whatever does it for you, darling. I just need to take the edge off long enough to get home. Someone breathing near me right now would have me going off like a water hydrant.”

He bit his lip, _that_ image doing lots to make his stomach flip and dance around. “Well, what do you need me for?”

He’d meant it as a joke, but the guy obviously wasn’t in much of a joking mood. “It’s a _lot_ harder to go through this shit alone.”

“Oh, I’ll bet it’s pretty hard right now~” He grinned, brightly, unable to help himself.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” he breathed over the line, the sound of his gruff voice tickling as it made its way through his ear drums. “My cock could cut diamonds right now.”

Aiden whistled, impressed. “All that hardness and nothing soft to sink into. That’s a real shame.”

The man groaned in agreement, not needing to say a word. Aiden continued walking along, wondering how he should go about the situation and then he figured a name was a good place to start.

“What’s your name?”

“Nigel,” he supplied automatically. And once he had, all he wanted was for him to: “Say it. Say my name. Now.”

Okay. Aiden could admit that the ragged, fierce demand sent a shiver down his spine straight to his groin. Buuuuut, he couldn’t resist teasing him. Sue him, there were so few times when someone could get away with messing with an Alpha! “What was that?” he grinned, mischievously. “The call went a little shaky. Didn’t quite catch your name.” 

“Nigel!” he snapped, teeth clicking on the end of the name.

He blinked one eye closed, holding his head away from the speaker. “One more time, babe. I’m trying to get somewhere with better reception. I think I’m near a dead zone—”

“You’ll be dead when I get my hands on you if you don’t stop fucking with me!” Nigel snarled, picking up the lamp and throwing it across the room, chest heaving as his breath rapidly left his lungs.

“You’re gonna kill me?” Aiden raised an eyebrow, an extra skip in his step. “But here I am doing you a favor~ That’s not very nice~”

“Neither is provoking an Alpha in rut, bitch,” he panted, close to cracking phone into pieces. “And I know exactly how I’d kill you. I’d fuck you to death.”

“Wow,” Aiden whistled. “Now _that_ is a way to go~ I think I can see why Omegas get all excited by that kind of talk. It’s pretty kinky~”

Nigel grabbed his dick, giving it a squeeze, trying to get it under control. “You’re a mouthy fuck,” he took a deep breath, thumb rubbing up and down. “Are you gonna help me or not?”

“Course I am, Nigel,” Aiden smiled, taking pity on the poor man. “Didn’t I say I would?”

Nigel let out a strained chuckle. “It’s a good thing you’re not a phone sex operator. You’d have Alphas losing their shit, trying to hunt you down and start a fight instead of blissed out of their minds. That’s a dangerous game, sweetheart.”

“Hmm, I guess so,” he cocked his head, putting a hand in his pocket. “’Sides, maybe I’m good at hiding. It’s hard to track down and fight someone when you don’t know what they look like.” And, boy, did _that_ bring back some “pleasant” memories. Aiden shrugged them off. No sense in worrying about the past.

Nigel palmed himself, trying to get some relief from the pressure, but he paused at those words, wondering  . . . Well, if they were going to do this, it’d be nice to know what he was dealing with.

“Can you give me some visuals to work with, darling?”

“Uhhhh, yeah, sure,” he shifted, glancing himself over. “I’m wearing baggy jeans. Got a tear in the leg I keep forgetting about. A long-sleeve shirt. A red jacket.”

“That’s not what I was . . .” he paused and then: “A red jacket?”

Aiden glanced around, wondering what about his answer seemed odd. “Um, yeah?”

“A straight up bright red jacket?”

“Uuuhhh, yeah.” He answered. “Something weird about that?”

“No, I’ve just never met anybody who wore an in-your-face red jacket before. I’m trying to imagine it and it just seems . . . noticeable? People around me aren’t usually looking to get noticed. It’s different from what I’m used to.”

Aiden squinted his eyes, wondering what he was supposed to make of _that._ He settled for shrugging it off. Not like it was his business anyway. “I didn’t dress to impress today. Had I known I’d have an Alpha panting for me, I would have put in a little more effort. Red’s just my favorite color.”

There was a slight puff of laughter. “Mine’s yellow, sweetheart.”

That had Aiden smiling again. There was something comforting—humanizing—about hearing an Alpha talk about something so simple. So casual.

“So, what about your looks, gorgeous?” he asked.

Aiden chuckled as he rounded a corner, past a bakery where a man was calling out, advertising having the finest baguettes and éclairs. “There you go again. How can you call me stuff like “sweetheart” and “gorgeous” when you don’t even know what I look like? I could be a troll for all you know! Maybe I have a hump and warts. You don’t know~”

“Personality makes someone beautiful or not, gorgeous.”

Aiden raised an eyebrow. “That’s really cheesy.”

“I like cheesy.”

Huh. Who would have thought such an aggressive and crass Alpha would turn out to be a silly romantic? It was pretty adorable, actually.

“All right,” he said, feeling warm inside. “What details were you wanting to know?”

“For starters, got any hair I can imagine tugging on while I think about fucking into you?”

A red flush sped across Aiden’s face, making him heat up. Nigel was going to be a handful. That much was for sure! He grinned, fiddling with his hair again, wondering what it would feel like to have some rutting Alpha yank on it, getting rough with him. He tugged on a curl, enjoying the tension and tingling sensation it brought with it. He poked out his tongue, wetting his lips. “I have curly brown hair. Not short, but not real long either.” Now, he was starting to consider growing it out some more. Which was such a dumb, impulsive idea. It’s not like Nigel would ever see him, let alone touch him for real.

His train of thought, thankfully, was interrupted by the very man in question saying: “Just enough for me to get a good grip, then, huh?”

Aiden swallowed. “Y-yeah.”

“What color are your eyes, sweetheart?” he asked. “Any other time, that backwards, doggy-style shit don’t do it for me. I wanna look at my partner while I fuck them so good that their eyes roll into the back of their head. I wanna see you lose focus cuz of me, gorgeous.”

That made Aiden heat up all the more. He fanned himself and tugged on his collar. Damn, Nigel sounded _hot._ If his voice was anything to go by . . .

He shifted, his own cock showing interest in the dirty words coming out of Nigel’s mouth. He glanced around at the busy streets. It would _really_ suck to get an erection in public. He hadn’t thought Nigel would be able to affect him so much!

He took a deep, calming breath. “My eyes are blue.”

“Like the sky?” Nigel asked. And when Aiden hummed an agreeing noise, he said: “Like little pieces of heaven, I bet.”

 _A_ very _cheesy romantic,_ Aiden thought with a warm, tender smile.

“Pieces of heaven, huh?” he grinned, cheekily. “You’re really set on that “angel” stuff, aren’t ya? But, what if I’m a demon? I’m feeling pretty devilish right now, _Alpha~”_ He put emphasis on the word, hoping it sounded sexy.

When he heard a harsh breath sucked in, he took the noise as encouragement. Aiden had an extra bounce in his step. It was actually pretty fun!

He brought his phone closer, whispering into it. “Did you know you’ve been making me hard? All that talk about what you’d do to me. And you thought you had problems with being out in public!” He grinned, feeling light and mischievous. It was actually pretty hot doing something so naughty~

His grin fell when he heard the erratic breathing. He heard a thump. What sounded like Nigel’s phone falling out of his hand. He frowned, coming to a halt, concerning creeping up on him.

“Nigel . . . ?”

 

**.oOo.**

 

He’d lost it. He’d absolutely lost it. Any amount of control he’d been managing to cling to had been ripped out of his grasp when he heard the man croon the word “Alpha.” And his rutting instincts had only gotten more out of control the more his devilish angel had spoken.

_Faster, faster, faster._

His hand picked up speed, jerking his dick with all he had. But, it wasn’t enough! He twisted and groaned in frustration.

_Harder, harder, harder._

His fist tightened to point of pain, his knuckles going white. An agonized whine built up in his throat. It was a noise he never would have allowed had his brain remembered someone was listening to him. But, right then, there was only need. Harsh, sharp, painful need. Something he couldn’t satisfy. Couldn’t control.

_Fasterharderfasterharder—_

His hand jackhammered, nails scrapping along his flesh. Getting worse. No relief. Needneedneed.

FasterharderfasterharderfasterHARDER—

“Nigel,” a voice from far away cut through the intensity, soothing him like a cool drink of water on a hot day. “You need to calm down. Slow, easy. It’s okay. I got you.”

A calming sensation washed over him, cooling his fever. His muscles stopped clenching and his arm slowed, relaxing. His dick throbbed in pain, but the soothing feeling sank into his skin and cooled him even there, giving him a reprieve, a moment to reassess. His hand loosened from the death-grip he’d had on his cock, the joints hardly wanting to budge from how tightly he’d been gripping. It was more like he’d wanted to rip his dick off than jerk off. He held it loosely, giving his junk a comforting, protective hold. Almost as if to apologize for abusing it like he had. His breathing evened out and his mouth hung open, his brain still trying to catch up with everything happening to him. But, he was able to cling on to one scrap of information to help bring him to the surface as his hand scrambled across the bed for where he’d dropped his phone.

“You . . . you,” he clenched his eyes shut and focused on his breathing. “You used your Beta Voice on me?”

“Yeah. Sorry, you just seemed like you were freaking out. I was only trying to help.”

He gave a wry smile through the more subdued waves crashing over him. “It helped.”

“Good,” he breathed a sigh of relief. “You had me worried there. You sounded like you were losing it.”

“That’s a rut, darling. It’s how it works.” Nigel huffed a laugh and ran a hand through his sweaty hair, taking the out and enjoying the calm. “I’m going to “lose it” a lot this week.”

“A whole week, huh?” the man wondered aloud. “Sounds intense. Makes me wish I was there with you.”

Nigel’s lips parted at the thought. And, suddenly, it was all he wanted in the world. “Where are you right now, gorgeous?”

“On a sidewalk,” he answered casually.

Nigel rolled his eyes. “Where _specifically?”_

“Next to a café and close to a road.” He could hear the damn smile in the man’s voice.

“Are you always this helpful to everyone you meet?” Nigel asked drolly. “Or am I just special, sweetheart?”

“No, I give people phone sex all the time~”

He huffed again, narrowing his eyes. The instinctual, possessive part of him didn’t like the sound of that at all. The logical side of him still trying to cling on with anything he had knew that the guy was just messing with him.

“Are you in America? You sound American.”

The man sounded amused at Nigel’s pestering. “Yeah, I’m American, but I’m not in America. Haven’t been there in a long time.”

“Are you in Europe?” Nigel didn’t care how long he had to play Twenty Questions to sort this shit out.

“Maaaaaaybe.”

“That’s not an answer,” he frowned, annoyed at being avoided.

“I can neither confirm nor deny~” he sing-songed.

“Seriously, sweetheart,” he rolled to his side. “What would it take to get you to Bucharest, Romania?”

“And why would I be traveling to Bucharest, Romania?” he asked, teasing.

“So I can fuck you so good and so hard for the rest of my rut that you won’t even be able to know what country you’re in anymore,” he smiled. “Let alone be able to give me more back talk.”

His breath hitched before he turned it into a chuckle. “Sorry, but I’m doing research. I can’t leave.”

Nigel growled, annoyed at being evaded. “Fuck your research.”

“I always knew rutting Alphas would fuck anything they could~”

“What are you researching that’s so important it can’t wait a week or so?”

“I’ve been looking at old buildings for a graphic novel. I have a deadline to worry about.”

That _was_ a pretty good reason. “There are lots of old buildings in Romania. They might work just as well. You can check them out when we’re not . . . doing our thing.” He hated the hopeful note in his tone. He wasn’t _that_ desperate for company!

There was a light chuckle over the line. “I think you’d be a bigger distraction than you think. And I can’t afford to start over right now. I already have some good areas scouted out.”

Nigel sighed. “Would you have come if this comic book business wasn’t in the way?” 

“Graphic novel,” he corrected automatically. “And . . . I think you could have convinced me on an off day. You have a sexy voice.”

“Sure,” Nigel snorted. “When this stupid rut ends up killing me, write that on my tombstone: “He was a bastard through and through, but at least he had a sexy voice.” He thumped his head back on the pillow with a sigh.

Aiden stopped at a crosswalk and, as he waited for the cars, he made a disapproving noise. “You really think that’s what you are?”

“I know so, gorgeous,” came a reply that was much too sure for Aiden’s liking.

That was it. Nigel obviously had some negative self-image issues. First, with trying to rush his rut and nearly hurting himself. Now, with talking poorly about himself. Nigel was abusing himself. Aiden wasn’t going to stand for that. Not at all.

“Well,” he started. “I have pretty good instincts for this stuff. Even for a Beta. I don’t think you’re a bastard. You—”

“Can we talk about something else? I liked you messing with me a lot better than this.”

Tackling an issue straightforward usually had people getting defensive, but Aiden was a stubborn ass. And he certainly didn’t plan to let Nigel off easy. He’d regret it forever if someone he knew ended up hurt or put in a bad situation when he could have done something to help.

“Sure,” Aiden grinned, trying to make light of the situation. “Tell me something you like about yourself.”

Nigel frowned. “I don’t think you understand what dirty talk is, sweetheart.”

“We do this my way or not at all, Nigel,” and he said it so sternly and with a note of finality that Nigel didn’t argue, afraid he really would lose him.

“All right. Whatever you want.”

There was a pleased hum from the other end of the line. And the approving sound did more for Nigel than he cared to admit. It felt good to please someone again. Make them proud of him. Not turning away, ashamed of his actions. A somberness drifted along the edges of his consciousness and he shook it off, not wanting to kill the mood before it had even begun. The last thing he needed was another rut where he emotionally collapsed. It’d been hell after Gabi left to have his first rut alone. Or trying to have it with random Omegas. He’d gotten emotional and cried. And that just pissed him off and sent him into a rampage, scaring all the poor Omegas. And giving his right-hand man, Darko, a real shit storm to deal with.

His trip down memory lane was cut off when the man spoke up, reminding him of his task. “Soooo, what do you like about yourself?”

Nigel leaned his head back and thought about it for a second, lazing in the calm the Beta was continuing to subdue his rut with. “Honestly, there’s a lot of stuff about myself that irritates me. I make piss-poor decisions, darling. I’ve got a temper and I just . . . lose control. I can get pretty damn violent—”

“Ever beat anyone you care about?” he interrupted.

“No!” Nigel raised his voice, offended at even the idea. “I would never do that!”

“Sounds like control to me,” he spoke softly, almost . . . carefully. “There are people who don’t care about who gets in their way, you know? I think it says a lot about you. Good stuff.”

Nigel blinked, his brow furrowing. “Did someone hurt you, darling?”

A light chuckle and then “You’re perceptive, too,” was all he got in response.

That made him frown all the more. He shifted forward, sitting up, his protective instincts flaring. “Who—”

“We’re talking about you right now, not me, Nigel~” he reprimanded.

He growled, fist clenching. “You matter, too! Just what kind of man do you think I am??? I’m not some selfish prick who’s only interested in getting off and calling it a day!”

“Oh Nigel,” he laughed. “You’re a better person than you think you are. So, why are you so mean to yourself?”

Nigel flopped backwards and thumped his fist against the pillow next to him, annoyed at the man continuing to avoid his question. He suspected that if he kept being doggedly stubborn, his merciful angel would disappear. It wasn’t what he wanted, but he let the topic go and answered him. “I’m a fuck up. What can I say?”

“Do you have a job?”

Nigel cocked his head. “Yeah. I’m a . . . very successful businessman. I work in trade and I’m damn good at what I do. Top in my area.” And a surge of pride did fill him when he thought about how far he’d built his empire in Bucharest. He’d started from nothing and he’d really made something of it all. Even if people would think less of him for it. Anyone who mattered . . .

“Wooow. Doesn’t sound like a fuck up to me~”

Nigel snorted. “I am where it counts. I can’t hang on to love for shit! I’m terrible at relationships. I mean, I try, but something always goes wrong!”

 “Like what?”

He flopped his arm over his eyes and groaned. “Are you my therapist or are you going to help me get off? I don’t see what this has to do with anything!”

Another laugh. “I thought you weren’t a selfish prick who’s only interested in getting off and calling it a day~”

“I’m not, but I’m not interested in telling you my life story, either. Especially when you’re not so forthcoming with your own . . .” he mumbled the last bit, feeling childish and pouty. 

“ . . . . . . . .”

Nigel’s heart skipped a beat at the silence from the other side. He’d pushed too far. He always fucked things up! Why couldn’t he just—

“Me and my last girlfriend broke up a while back. We’re still friends and we were both cool with it. That kind of stuff just happens sometimes, you know? But . . . I know that it’s hard to go back to being alone, even if you’re used to it or you like it. You spend all this time with someone. You share your _life_ with someone. It’s a big deal! It’s not something you can just shake off like nothing happened. It means something and it sticks with you. And . . . you don’t sound like the kind of person who’s okay with being alone. You sound . . . lonely. And you blame yourself. Maybe you did do something to ruin whatever you had before, but . . . you can’t hold on to something that isn’t yours anymore, Nigel—”

“I didn’t!” Nigel snapped, boiling anger shooting through his veins. “I let Gabi go! I did the right thing!”

There was a pause, for just a moment, before: “I didn’t mean for her sake, Nigel. I meant for yours.”

A lump got stuck in Nigel’s throat at that. He stared at nothing, his anger receding as he listened.

“You’re beating yourself up over something that you can’t do anything about. It’s over. Like I said, it still means something to you and you can’t go on and pretend it didn’t happen, but . . . you can’t let it ruin what you _could_ have someday. You’ll find someone and you’ll do even better than before. You’re not afraid to face your mistakes. Now, you just gotta learn from them. But, I think you can do it. There’s always a chance, right?”

He really was an angel. A _goddamn angel._ Nigel’s breath stuttered out of his lungs and he knew he was getting emotional again, his hormones going haywire. Everything he’d said was resonating within him. Making him feel . . . light. Better than he had in a long, long time, actually. He didn’t understand how he could be feeling out of control and yet . . . more in control of himself than he’d felt in ages.

“You’re . . . you’re really something special, angel face.” He hiccupped a laugh.

“Nah. Just another fuck up bullshitting my way through life the best I can~”

It made Nigel smile. Warm, carefree, easy.

“Now, about this dirty talk I’ve been working towards . . .”

Jesus Christ, he’d actually forgotten he was in rut. His eyes widened comically large, blown away by how much he’d been distracted. That . . . that didn’t make any sense?! Did a Beta Voice really work that well???

“Are you still using your Voice on me?” he asked in awe.

“Uhh, a little? Do you want me to stop?”

“It’s not bothering me, sweetheart, but I’m going to have my rut at some point. You’re only delaying the inevitable.”

“I know. I’m sorry I’ve left you struggling for so long. That wasn’t cool of me.”

Nigel didn’t have the time to tell him that he hadn’t been struggling or suffering at all before the soothing sensation started to recede, awakening his rut. Or, rather, making him aware of it again. He sucked in a breath at the sensation. Almost like a punch to the gut knocking the sense out of him!

“Listen to my voice. I’m going to ease you out of it. And I want you to be gentle with yourself. You’re a great person, Nigel. Treat yourself that way.”

Nigel snorted, disagreeing.

“I’ll hang up and leave you to deal with this alone if you don’t play nice.”

A shiver ran down his spine at the stern, reprimanding tone. It almost reminded him of Gabi. Like when she shot a bullet right past his head, ordering him to leave. She’d been so hot, and commanding, and . . .

“Okay, angel,” he gritted out, trying not to think of Gabi. He didn’t want to compare them. Gabi was special and . . . not someone he should keep obsessing over. Just like his angel had said. Hell, he’d probably feel a lot better if he just let go of all his baggage and just _listened_ for a hot second.

So, he got comfortable and let himself get lost in the sound of the other man’s voice.

“So . . . what are you wearing?”

Nigel choked on a laugh, instantly breaking from the serene he’d had going for him. “What kind of shit is that?!” He grinned, utterly amused.

“Hey, I told you I’ve never had phone sex before!” Nigel smiled at how off balance he sounded now. “I mean, are you already naked? Do you have a shirt and pants on? Shoes? You wanna take those off and get comfortable? Or do you like keeping them on? Are you wearing a thong?”

Even through the need starting to hit him hard again, Nigel nearly found himself rolling with laughter. It took him a second to find his composure, wipe the tears out of his eyes. “I got some black pants on. A bluish . . . greenish . . .” he stared at his shirt and whispered. _“What the fuck color is this???”_

It was the other man’s turn to laugh, loudly and openly. “Why don’t we just settle on blue-green?”

“Sure, sure,” he muttered, really wondering for the first time what color he’d been wearing for so many years. “Blue-green with dachshunds on it. Unbuttoned.”

“Aw, cute.”

“I’m far from cute, angel face.”

“Anybody who wears a shirt with little doggies on it is cute. I don’t make the rules, Nigel.”

A corner of his mouth kicked up at that.

“And the rest?”

Nigel kicked off his shoes and pulled off his socks. “Socks and shoes gone. And I’m not wearing underwear. I . . . I was running late this morning.”

“Kinky,” he said. “You think everyone knew?”

Nigel cocked his head. “Knew what?”

“Well, you said you lost it and went into rut in public, right? You think all those people knew when you were getting hard and rubbing against anything you could find that you’d planned it? Barely anything in your way. Cock hard. Ready to go anytime, anywhere. All it’d take is one . . . _zip.”_ He emphasized the last word, breathily.

Nigel’s eyes widened at the words, his cock standing to attention faster than he was ready to handle.

“I bet you’re hard right now. That poor cock of yours. So lovely and ignored. Needing sooo much attention. We’ve been neglecting it. Neglecting _you.”_

Nigel gasped at the sudden curve ball the man had thrown at him. Mixing dirty talk and praise, having them intertwine so seamlessly! And where the hell had the tone shift come from?! Was his angel a devilish minx in disguise, after all?!

“But, it’s going to have to wait a little longer. You were so mean to it last time. I bet it’s still hurting. It wants to be loved and worshipped. It’s going to have to settle for us, Niiiigel. And I need you to worship it for me since I can’t be there to do it myself. And I’d be sooo nice to it~” he crooned.

His little coos did something to him, making his dick jump at the idea of being handled by the man. Stroked and tenderly, _lovingly_ petted, fingers trailing along his sensitive flesh. Making him _ache_ for something more, yet content to stay like that forever.

He continued. “Will you be nice for me, Nigel? _Pleeeease?”_ he drew the word out so sweetly that Nigel’s brain short-circuited. W-Who— _How_ could a word be said like that?!

“Y-yeah,” he stuttered, stunned.

“Thank you, _Nigel,”_ he regretted ever telling him his name. He didn’t think it would be turned into a damn weapon against him! It . .  it was _obscene_ how he was curling his name around in his mouth! “You’re making me soooo happy~ You’re so good to me. Will you let me be good to you?”

Nigel nodded before he remembered he needed to say actual words. “Yes. _Please.”_ He added on, getting more desperate.

“Oooohh,” that breathy moan came close to killing him. “I just _love_ how you say please. I hope I can hear you say please again for me tonight, honey.”

Right then, Nigel was sure it would be easy to make him beg. He could feel the man’s Voice drifting away, leaving him needier and over-sensitive like a raw nerve.

“Stick with me, babe. I want to make you feel _so_ good. Like how you deserve to feel. How you should feel every day. Wouldn’t you like that? To feel good all the time?”

YES. He didn’t know if he said it or thought it, but he knew every bit of him down to his _soul_ wanted that. Wanted to be loved and cared about _forever._

“I want you to start off by laying your hand on your stomach. Nice and soft and easy.” Nigel did as he instructed without hesitation. “Brush your fingertips up and down . . . side to side, slowly. Gently. Trace patterns on your skin. That’s what I’d do. I’d want to explore every part of you. Be able to close my eyes and know you by touch alone. I’d trace everything. Muscles, fat, freckles, wrinkles, scars, birthmarks, tattoos, piercings. Anything you might have. I’d know it all by heart. I’d be able to draw you from memory after I was done with your body.”

He gasped, feeling himself up and down, amazed by his own body, as if he were exploring it for the first time. In a way, he supposed he was, through his angel. The softness he was getting in his middle from getting older didn’t seem so bad somehow. Or the grey in his chest hair. Not when he knew someone would look at him and think he was perfect. Not losing his game. Not losing his edge. Just one person appreciating another.

“Play with your nipples, babe. Like how you’d play with mine. I want you to squirm for me as much as you’d make me squirm for you.”

His other hand ran up his chest, leaving goose bumps as it made its way to his nipple. He rolled it around before giving it a solid tweak, gasping at the sensation. He shuddered at the idea that that was how his angel would feel if their places were switched.

"Yeeeaaah, I bet you’d tease me forever. Make me beg. For mercy? For more? I wouldn’t even know anymore . . .” he breathed, sounding like he was really getting into it.

The idea that the man on the other side was just as affected as him was the biggest turn on. He groaned, twisting his nipples and gyrating his hips, wondering what he’d sound like as he cried, getting filled with his cock. How would he want it? On all fours? Primitive Alpha/Omega style? Nigel shivered at the idea, his rutting hormones _loving_ that idea. Or, maybe, he would ride him? Yeeeeaaaaah, Nigel loved it when someone rode him, taking what they wanted, clawing into him, going faster and faster, pushing them both to the limit.

He groaned and the man on the other end caught it, relishing it. “You’re so worked up already? We’ve barely begun~ Oh, you’re gonna be _such_ a mess by the end of this~”

Nigel’s breath caught in his throat at those words. His angel was going to torture him, wasn’t he?

“How are those sweet, little nubs? You aren’t ignoring them, are you?”

“N-no,” he said as he flicked them, continuing to play with them just like he wanted.

“Work those nipples more, baby. I want to hear you _scream._ ”

“Ah-ahhh!” he called out after giving his nipples a twist. They’d gotten so sensitive!

“Thaaaaat’s more like it~ We’re just getting started. How about that mouth of yours?”

“My mouth?” Nigel wondered aloud.

“Yes, that dirty mouth that likes to say so many filthy things~ I think it’s aching for something to suck on, don’t you?”

And damn if his mouth wasn’t watering the moment after his angel put the image into his head.

“If I was there, I bet you’d suck me so good and so hard that I wouldn’t even know what to do with myself. Such a big, strong Alpha would please me so good~ I’ve been needing a good Alpha. Do you happen to know where I might find one?”

 _Right here!_ Something inside him snapped, snarling at the idea of _his_ lover finding another Alpha. Needing another Alpha. He was right here. He was all the Alpha his angel needed!

“I’m the _only Alpha you need,”_ he said the line with such conviction. Enough that he hoped he pierced through the phone and made his angel weak at the knees just from the sound of it. Maybe if he commanded hard enough he’d drop everything and come to him. That was how it should be. 

“Whoa, whoa, down tiger~ I know that~” he crooned, soothing his wounded ego. “You’d scare away all the other Alphas because you know how to protect what’s yours. But, you see, Nigel . . .” he trailed off.

Nigel hung on his every word, entranced.

“You wouldn’t need to do anything like that at all~” Then he whispered so low and sexy that Nigel felt the sound of his voice vibrating down to his _balls._ “Because I wouldn’t even know any other Alphas were around. Not with you in the room.”

He sucked in a breath through his teeth, gritting them at the sensations that rolled over him in waves at the idea of his angel being so utterly consumed by him. As consumed as he felt by _him._

That thought alone got him so hot that he abandoned his nipples and his hands were on his dick before another thought passed through his head. Searing need. Need to _claim._ Claim what was _his._

 _Mine!_ His mind roared as his hands sped up, making him groan as agonizing heat shot through him, close to sending him right back into a mindless frenzy.

“No. Stop right now. Hands up.”

Nigel lifted his hands and froze, lips parting at the sudden demand. Why—?

“Don’t touch your cock,” came the soft but firm command. “You’re not allowed to after you were so mean to it before. Right now, it’s mine. And since I’m not there, it’ll just have to settle for my voice.”

“You ca-can’t be serious, sweetheart!” he exclaimed, hand inching back towards where he needed it most. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“Sorry, babe, I’m veeeeery serious~ And you said anything I want, remember?”

No, he couldn’t handle that. He wouldn’t fucking survive!

“I can’t, sweetheart,” he cried out. “I really can’t!”

It felt like his dick was gonna explode if he didn’t get any relief soon! He’d been hard for so long that he was surprised he hadn’t passed out from blood loss yet.

“Not happening, hon~” he said, throwing out a pet name of his own just to tease Nigel.

He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, his hands clenching, nails biting into his palms from how much restraint he was using to not touch his cock. Why was he even obeying anyway? He didn’t have to listen to him. He could get the edge off and . . .

Absolutely disappoint his angel just like he disappointed everyone in his life.

Nigel bared his teeth on a snarl, frustration sizzling across his skin. “Be fair!” He snapped.

“Now, now, Nigel, you _did_ say anything I want, remember?”

“Fiiiiiine,” he groaned, hands firmly at his sides, digging into the blankets. “What do you want from me?” He bit the words out, right on the edge of pain.

He hissed at the pleasure-pain that coursed through him when the man _purred_ into his ear. “I know you can do much better things with that big, ol’ Alpha cock than jerk it. Mmmmm, imagine sinking it inside me instead.”

The tears spilled over then. His hips shot up, trying to thrust into something that just wasn’t there. He was _so fucking desperate._

 

**.oOo.**

 

Aiden almost felt bad when he heard Nigel’s cries. But, he’d heard that the more intense a rut or heat became, the more time between cravings. Nigel needed all the time he could get if he wanted to get home. So, to help him as best as he could, he’d have to wait on coming any time soon.

Though, Aiden could admit that hearing the man beg and get so close to the edge _did_ do it for him.

“You want in me? You want to sink into my heat?” Rutting Alphas got off on thoughts of Omegas by nature, so Aiden figured he might as well titillate that side of him. “Then go ahead and plunge in. You don’t need to wait at all.”

“You—you’re . . . not Om-mega. D-don’t wanna . . . hurt—” He cut off, groaning in agony.

Aiden paused, a surge of warmth beyond arousal coursing through him. A gentle nudge of affection that some stranger would . . . be so thoughtful of him. Especially an Alpha in the middle of losing his mind during a rut! He swallowed around the lump in his throat, jumping back into what Nigel actually needed.

“You don’t have to worry about that, babe,” tears pricked his eyes despite his best efforts to be a stone-cold, sex fiend. “I got so excited waiting for you that I already prepped myself.”

Nigel’s eyes shot wide open at that, his imagination supplying his brain with images of a gorgeous, curly-haired brunette fingering himself. Whining for him as he stretched himself, got himself ready for him. Calling _his_ name. Those dangerous, blue eyes locked on him, mouth curving in a come-hither look that was twisting Nigel inside out.

Aiden smiled at the little gasp that came through over the phone. “Yeah, you like that babe? I’m all hot and moist and _aching for you._ ” He tilted his head back, giving a little whine for effect, getting into the idea of being a needy Omega. “I _need_ you, Nigel. I need you so, so bad. Please don’t make me wait!”

He shivered at the low growl that crackled over the line. Damn, what an Alpha noise! It held so much power even over a phone! The guy really must be something in person. Aiden would bet people just collapsed into heaps whenever he walked by!

Speaking of people walking by . . .

He’d gotten a little too loud on that last one. A couple of girls were staring at him from where he’d gotten too close. He grinned, sheepishly, at them, shrugging. He thought about covering the phone and explaining, but, it was exactly what it looked like. Besides, Nigel needed him. And with the way they were blushing, mouths forming little o’s . . .

He slowly smiled, eyes going half-lid, putting on a show just for them. He whined low in his throat, arching his neck, exposing his throat. “I’d almost swear I was an Omega. I feel like I could get wet just by the sound of you.” He heard gasps from both sides and took everything he had not to grin like an idiot and ruin the tone. Instead, he went on, weaving words together that he knew a rutting Alpha would love to hear. Words that would ring true with the Beta and Alpha women in front of him, too. “Feels like I’m dripping right now. Spreading down my legs, soaking my pants. I bet someone could smell it on me if they got too close.”

The girls leaned forward, the Alpha’s nostrils flaring as if trying to catch the same fake scent he was making up. He tipped his head back, eyes closing on a soft moan. “Does that make you hot, babe? Knowing that you have me so wet that everyone knows how ready I am for you to claim me?

Nigel roared, teeth gnashing, sounding pretty damn affected by his Omega talk. 

“I can’t stop leaking.” He made eye contact with the girls before glancing down with an arched brow at his cock straining against his pants, a wet spot forming at the tip. “Well, at least one part of me can’t. Don’t need to be an Omega for that~” He winked at them.

The Alphan woman blinked, knocked out of the spell while the Beta cracked a grin, laughing with a bright red flush along her cheeks.

He got back into character, really enjoying playing at being an Omega. “Oh yeah, I’m dripping for you, babe. I stretched myself nice and good,” he relished the gasps he heard from either side. “Ready for your big, fat cock. You gonna give it to me? Or do I have to whine like a bitch in heat to get any relief around here?”

And he let out a whine so good and needy that he managed to shock himself from how much it had sounded like an Omega in heat. Maybe he should consider acting? Or porn with the way he was going.

Nigel and the Alphan female went still, quiet . . . right before they lost their cool. What sounded like Nigel’s head thrashing from side to side came through the phone. The lady’s nostrils flared, her eyes dilating as she lowered her head, predatorily. She took a step forward, but, fortunately, her friend stopped her, Aiden feeling drifting hints of a Beta Voice swelling around them as she whispered to her.

“Ugh!” Nigel’s shouts caught their attention through the phone. “What are you doing to me, angel?! It’s torture! I can’t take anymore! I can’t!”

“Yes you can,” he immediately reassured him. “You’re doing so good. I’m so impressed. My beautiful Alpha can handle anything for me~”

His attention had been on Nigel, so he was taken by surprise when he was tapped on the shoulder. He jumped, eyes going wide in surprise. His lips parted, instinctively, his eyes glistening. He’d been told he looked like a hurt puppy when he got startled. The Alpha standing in front of him seemed to like it. She smiled at him and said some stuff in French before taking his hand. He gave her a quizzical look, wondering what she was doing.

He relaxed and smiled when she pulled out a pen from her pocket and started writing down her phone number on his palm. Her friend appeared at her side, beaming at him, apparently just as pleased with his performance. Well, he did aim to please.

“She is still learning English,” the Beta explained before writing her own number on his hand. “But, this is in case things don’t work out between you and your Alpha.”

“Call me,” the Alpha said, huskily, in a heavy French accent.

Aiden smiled and gave them a one finger salute, flattered.

“Who’s there?” Nigel growled over the phone, recapturing Aiden’s attention.

“Nobody,” Aiden hummed when he was out of hearing distance.

“It didn’t sound like nobody,” he growled once more.

“So possessive~” he teased, sticking his tongue out playfully. “It was just some girls. It’s bound to happen. I mean, I _am_ dirty talking you out in public~”  

His mouth went up into a smirk when he heard Nigel’s cut off gasp.

He tilted his head, smirk widening. “Do you think that makes me . . . naughty? Have I been bad? Ooohhh, I think I might need a strong Alpha to keep me in line~”

“Or,” he puffed out his lips, expression turning mockingly thoughtful. “Maybe you’ll keep letting me run rampant. Because you _like_ me being out of control. You _like_ not knowing what I’ll do next. Does it make you hot, Nigel? Knowing that you can’t control me?”

He released a full grin when he heard Nigel getting all riled up again from his words. He continued on. “Would you hunt me down? Catch me and throw me to the ground? Stake your claim, have your power over me and shout it for all the world to see?”

He liked poking at Nigel’s rutting instincts, but . . . “Or would my Alpha let me get away with anything I want~? Let me rub all over you, put my hands everywhere you want to touch right now? You’d let me explore and get my fill. But, I would never have enough. I’d ache and ache and ache for you,” Aiden shifted, really wishing he could put his words into practice. He really did ache. Everything inside him wanting to touch Nigel, be close to him. He’d never experienced such a thing before. Heck, something about his voice. The way he talked, growled, begged—all of it!—made Aiden feel a burning, consuming arousal that he could only wonder if it came close to what a rut or heat felt like. He’d never been so turned on before!

“I need you Nigel,” he whispered, putting more meaning into it than before. A note of . . . longing that he shouldn’t sneak in. Shouldn’t want in the first place. “Do you need me? Ache for me?”

He could have kicked himself for how much he wanted the answer to be about more than sex.

 

**.oOo.**

 

“Yes!” everything inside him swelled up to answer his angel. He needed his angel. Needed him like he needed to breath. Like he needed to eat to survive. Like he needed to come before his dick shot off away from his body. His angel wasn’t a want he was a fucking _need._

“D-Darling, _please!”_ he cried out, so, so close. He needed it. Oh, he needed it! “Give me something here! I can’t!”

“All right~ Since you asked so nicely,” his whisper was husky, sultry. “Flip and lay on your front.”

Nigel was quick to obey, desperate for his angel. As soon as he rolled over he gave a blissful sigh, his cock finally getting some much needed friction. He didn’t squander a second as he rolled his hips, shifting his cock against the sheets. It felt _so_ good. Felt like he was losing his goddamn mind!

“I can hear how needy you are. The bed squeaking. Thumping against the wall. I’ll bet the people in the next room can hear how desperate you are. They can hear you, Nigel. I bet they’re turned on,” he fed the images into Nigel’s brain, painting him a picture with every word, making him get lost in the scene. “Just as much as the people on my side. I keep passing people on the street and they’re hearing, Nigel. They’re hearing your noises and my dirty talk and they don’t know what to do with themselves. We’ve been causing a stir.”

Nigel’s mouth opened and closed, enthralled by the words. The idea that they were making people lose their minds over them. Giving people a taste of what they were never going to have!

“You know, those girls from before gave me their phone numbers.”

No one was going to have his angel! No one but him! He went into a frenzy, slamming his hips harder, shredding the sheets from how tightly he was holding them. He snarled, rubbing his face into the bed with his movements, breathing fast.

“See how good we make it? How crazy we’re making other people? But, I’m not gonna call them. No, not when I have such a good Alpha giving me everything I need. There’s no one else who could ever make sweet noises like you do~”

Nigel squeezed his eyes shut and groaned, his muscles tightening. He panted, starting to get lost somewhere beyond words or reason. But that voice kept talking, kept guiding him through. He was hanging on every word like his life depended on it.

“Angel, please, please, please,” he rambled, shoulders shaking, precome making a wet spot where he was rubbing. It felt like he was driving into the bed so hard he was going to dig a hole to the other side of the planet!

 _“Mmmm,”_ came a dragged out moan that upped the temperature in Nigel so much that he was afraid he was going to get heatstroke. “Did I ever tell you how much I _love_ hearing you beg? Even if I did, it’s worth saying one more time. Oh man, I’ve never had an Alpha beg for me. I could get used to this. Tell me how close you are, babe. Tell me what you need.”

“So close!” he cried out, his body moving like it had a mind of its own, the force of his hips practically levitating him off the bed. The only thing keeping him grounded was the deathgrip he had on it with his hands, hanging on for dear life. “I need you, darling! Just you! Always you!”

“Oh, Nigel,” he said his name so sweet and soothingly that it made Nigel’s heart ache on top of everything else. “If I was there, we’d get so lost in each other that other people wouldn’t even exist anymore. You wouldn’t be alone. We would make love so many times that we’d stop being separate people.”

Tears welled up in Nigel’s eyes, the things his angel was saying affecting him so deeply, so strongly. So much more than any of the dirty talk from before.

“I wouldn’t be able to keep up with your rut, but I’d still be right there with you. Petting you, letting you know you’re all right. Reminding you of how good you’re being for me. How well you’ve treated me. Sated me so good that I can’t move. Can’t think of anything beyond making you feel as good as you made me feel. I want you to feel good, Nigel.”

He wanted that. Needed it. Almost more than he needed to come. More than he needed to relieve himself of his rut. He wanted his angel with him. Every day. The bed wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough! He _needed_ to have his angel with him!

He threw out his hand and grabbed the other pillow. He rolled to his side, lost in his need for his angel. His need to come. His needneedneed—

He hugged the pillow like it was his last lifeline, wrapping his legs around it, getting it right where he needed it. And he humped it, humped it like the other man was in his arms and whining for him to get inside him. He picked up the pace, slapping his hips into the softness, wanting so much for it to be firmer and more shapely. For it to turn into the man he needed to fuck more than he needed to draw his next breath.

_Give it to me. I need you! I can’t, Nigel, I can’t!_

He shoved his hips up harder and faster, unsure if the words were coming from his lover on the phone or his imaginary version. Fuck, it didn’t matter anymore!

“Ngh, ngh!” the noises dragged out of him without his knowledge. “Fuckfuckfuckfuck,”

_Keening, crying, pushing against him. Hands grabbing at him. Fingernails clawing at his shoulders, begging him to put it in him. Give him what they both needed._

“Ahh, angel, angel!” he cried out, moving without a thought, pushing them both past their limits.

_Fuck me, Nigel! Fuck me! Love me!_

“Yes!” it was pulled out from the depths of his _soul._ He was a wreck. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t see, he couldn’t escape it. It was too much! He couldn’t, he couldn’t, couldn’t, couldn’t—

“Let go, babe. I got you,” his angel broke through the noise. “Come for me.”

Nigel’s head jerked backwards, his mouth opening on a silent scream as his hips went into a final frenzy. Thrusting, thrusting, and then!!! His cock erupted, spraying come all over the pillow. His hips stuttered, the room spun and everything went white.

He collapsed into a boneless sprawl, hips still giving a few, half-hearted shifts against the wet pillow. He panted heavily, staring at the cracked ceiling, unable to register anything. He brain wasn’t working and he was sure it never would again. His body tingled with leftover shockwaves from the most intense orgasm he’d ever had in his life. His mouth hung open and he tasted the tears that had been running down his face from being so overwhelmed. How? Just _how?_

“Woooow,” the beautiful, heavenly voice said, finally breaking the silence he’d left Nigel in while he recovered. “That has got to be the hottest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Just _wow._ Did I seriously cause that?”

Nigel choked on a laugh, barely able to form words. “Y-yeah, angel . . . that was . . . all you.”

“Again: wow,” he said, sounding genuinely surprised. “I’ve never heard an Alpha in rut before. That’s . . . that’s really something, Nigel. I’m so hard right now I can barely think straight.”

He frowned, wiping himself off on the pillow and tossing it aside before looking at the phone on the night stand. “You didn’t come, sweetheart?”

“Heh, sorry. I was pretty focused on you. ‘Sides, I’m on a bus right now, trying not to get arrested for being indecent. Had to put my bag on my lap for that last one. _Damn,”_ he cut off a groan like he was trying to get himself back under control.

Nigel grinned as he picked up the phone, a mischievous idea getting in his head. “Maybe I should return the favor, gorgeous. You talked all that good shit about people overhearing. Why not give ‘em a show?”

“I didn’t think you were the sharing type,” he breathed out, roughly.

“I’m not,” Nigel smirked, leaning on his pillow and getting comfortable. “But, I _do_ like to show off what’s mine~ It’s really something. Seein’ people get so worked up for what they can’t have. Imagine it, gorgeous. Imagine me getting you off right now and everybody on that bus knowing you’re coming in your pants and can’t help yourself because of me. They’d smell you and they’d want you, but they wouldn’t be able to have you. Cause if even one of those fuckers put a single hand on you, I’d reach through this phone and rip it off.”

 _“O-ooohhhh,”_ his angel stuttered on a whine. “Oh-oh-oh, st-stop, please! There’s a nice elderly couple across the way from me.”

“What if I don’t wanna stop?” Nigel challenged.

“Then, I’m gonna hang up. It’s the only defense I got.” He sighed. “Besides, you don’t need me anymore and I’m probably really killing your phone bill anyway, soooo . . .”

“No!” Nigel shouted out too quickly, eyes going wide as a bolt of fear shot through him.

“. . . no?” he hesitated, sounding small.

“Yeah, um . . . would you stay on? Please?” Nigel felt stupid and needy and clinging and all kinds of humiliated to ask, but it was something he desperately craved. “I need . . .” He wasn’t sure how to put it.

“Big, bad Alpha need a cuddle?” the tease’s voice drifted through the line. As obnoxious and taunting as it was sweet and considerate. “You’re just a big ‘ol pussycat underneath all that biting and growling, aren’t you~?”

“Remember what we talked about earlier,” Nigel stretched back out, glad he hadn’t hung up. “About the dangers of messing with an Alpha?”

There was a considering hum before: “Huh, can’t say that I do. Must’ve not been very important.”

Nigel barked out a laugh and shook his head. “You’re crazy, sweetheart.”

“Yeah, cuz giving some stranger phone sex was definitely confirming my sanity before!”

He smiled and then a thought occurred to him. Something that had been bothering him in the back of his head during the heat of the moment but only became clear now that his rut was calmed. “Hey, sweetheart? I never got your name.”

“That’s because I never gave it to you.” His laugh was light and airy. Just as elusive as the man himself.

“Will you give it to me now?” he asked, wanting the name.

“Haven’t you ever heard of stranger danger? You might be some perv trying to have your wicked way with me~”

“I think we’re well past that, sweetheart.”

He didn’t want the call to end. He wanted to know him. The devil with a mouth that spewed sin. The angel who showed him mercy instead of hanging up on him, bringing him sweet, sweet release.

He couldn’t let the beautiful creature go.

“Mmm, I guess I can give you a hint.” There was a pause as he thought about it. Then, with an “aha!” and what sounded like a snap of his fingers, he said: “A. W. G.”

Nigel tilted his head in confusion. “AWG? What’s that? That’s not a hint. That’s part of the fuckin’ alphabet.”

Aiden laughed, obviously surprised by his outburst. “Yeah, well, it’s also my initials, silly rabbit.”

“Your initials?” he frowned. “That’s hardly a hint. There’s billions of people in the world. Loads with those same initials. That’s not a name. Or a city. Or anything. What the hell am I supposed to do with that?”

He could hear the smile in the man’s voice as he responded. “You’re supposed to figure it out~” At Nigel’s displeased huff, he relented. “I’ll give you an extra nudge on your way: Do you like graphic novels?”

The tease was getting more and more elusive as time went on. It honestly sounded like he enjoyed vexing Nigel. “Yeah, but what’s that got to do with anything?”

He chuckled. “It means a lot to me! And it’s a pretty big hint! Last one: Do you like wolves?”

Nigel narrowed his eyes and growled, “No. And I don’t like cocky, little shits either. Your name.”

“Mmm, nope~ You didn’t say please. I like it when you say please. You sound so . . .” he whispered, breathily. “Neeeeedy.”

Nigel gnashed his teeth, absolutely done with the man’s bullshitting. “Stop fucking with me!”

He only received another laugh in response.

“That’s it. I’m hanging up. To hell with this.” His temper was getting the better of him.

“No, no!” he stopped him, though he didn’t sound the least bit apologetic. “Finding me is kind of a big deal. Seriously, if you actually manage to find me when no one else has, I think I might just have to marry you.”

 _That_ word stopped Nigel in his tracks and had his heart racing, eyes going wide. He tried to stamp down his emotions, tried not to push, but he couldn’t stop himself. “You . . . you shouldn’t say something I like to me, angel.” He warned as feelings coiled inside him. “I take that sort of thing . . . pretty seriously. I really would track you down and marry you.”

He knew he was obsessive. He fell easy and he fell hard. Always had. And he always let himself get consumed by his feelings, his desire for what he could have with someone special.

There was a pause from the other side. One that made Nigel’s heart clench.

“. . . I was joking, but . . . I don’t think I’d mind that,” he made a flustered noise. “It’s weird, something about you feels right.”

Nigel closed his eyes, a flame igniting inside him.

“I mean, if you find me, I really wouldn’t have a problem with seeing where things go, you know?”

Nigel clucked his tongue, frustration welling up in him now that he had his sights set but obstacles still stood in his way. “If it feels right, then why not tell me your name or where you are?”

A sweet laugh drifted over the line. “Don’t Alphas love a good chase~?”

His instincts rose up at the sound of that, a tingling sensation running up his spine at the very idea. It excited him. It _really_ did.

“Catch me if you can~” the tease whispered, making a kiss noise at him. “See you later, Nigel.”

Then, he hung up.

Nigel stared at his phone as he lay on the ruined bed, blissfully drifting in the carnage they’d made together. A slow, lazy smile curved along his face.

“It’s a promise, sweetheart.”

 

**.oOo.**

Aiden smiled to himself, tapping his phone against his mouth. Warmth spread through him and he bit his lip like he had a secret.

“Kind of nice being engaged!” Giddiness bathed over him like a hug and he hoped, he really hoped, Nigel would find a way.

 

**.oOo.**

 

A few weeks later saw Nigel well out of his rut and with business out of town all settled nicely with no more surprises. Which was good because it was finally giving him a chance to get down to _real_ business. Finding his angel. Oh, he was going to make obsessed look tame now that he had some time to devote to the cause.

But, he’d need to get Darko onboard if he wanted to get things rolling and that meant explaining a lot. The rut fiasco. Calling the wrong number. Getting off to some random stranger. And . . . the weird feelings that came along with the whole thing. It was just wild how affected he still was! He hadn’t even been able to convince himself to grab a random person to finish out the rest of his rut with. Which had been a bitch of a time. Problem was, he didn’t want someone else. Someone else just wasn’t going to be enough. The rest of his rut had been stronger and more annoying and frustrating than ever. His body crying out for his angel. Even just his voice. Other people being anywhere near him had set him off in a bad way. So, it was a relief to be able to think clearly again and relax at the bar after hours with Darko to talk to.

“It’s like I wasn’t even in rut anymore,” he sighed, drifting off, back to the moment when it was just him and his angel.

Darko shot him a perplexed look. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“You callin’ me a liar? I’m just telling you what happened.” Nigel shot him an annoyed look right back.

Darko rolled his eyes and did a calming gesture, indicating for Nigel to cool it. The usual “untwist your panties and sit down” vibe they had between them. “All I mean is that Beta Voices don’t work like that. It’s like . . . how do I explain . . .” he tapped a finger, thinking over his words carefully. “It’s like when you eat too much ice cream, right? Your tongue gets all cold and numb. Feels weird? But, you don’t just stop having a tongue. You can still feel that it’s there. It’s like that. You still feel your rut, but it feels like you’ve been sedated.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Nigel nodded. “I felt that. But, there was a point in the middle where it didn’t even feel like I was in rut at all. I was talking with him! And we were joking. Having little heart-to-heart’s. I wasn’t feverish or waiting for him to release me from it. It just wasn’t there. I can’t explain it any better than that, Darko.”

Darko swirled his beer and stared at him, obviously thinking something over.

It was Nigel’s turn to roll his eyes. “Spit it out, Darko.”

Darko didn’t bat an eye. Just drank from his beer. Eventually, he spoke. “I’m not sure it’s something I should say, honestly.” He took another swig.

He raised an eyebrow. “What’s that about?”

“Nigel . . .” Darko heaved a deep sigh and took a bigger swig off his beer. He set it aside and leaned forward, clasping his hands together. “I know how you get. Things get bigger in your head than how it really is. I don’t want you to jump into something and . . . it not live up to what you wanted.”

If it were any other person, Nigel would have started a fight over what had been said to him. But, Darko was the cool-headed one. And . . . he was right. He glanced away, twirling his beer bottle. “You mean like with Gabi.”

Darko leaned back and gave him a look. Probably somewhat surprised Nigel was talking about her without causing a scene. Now that he looked back on things, he _had_ been a pretty big prick about things since Gabi left.

“Yes.”

Nigel tapped his thumb, slightly irritated. “Me and Gabi had a good thing, Darko. Just because it went to shit at the end doesn’t mean it wasn’t good for most of it.” 

“I know that. I was at the wedding,” he tilted his head. “And I was also around for every fight. And I had your back when you needed someone to take care of things when Gabi’s father ran you out of town. And I took care of Charlie when you asked me to. I know you, Nigel. I know how things can get. I’ve been looking out for you for a long time.”

“Yeah . . .” Nigel huffed, growing more agitated before reining his temper back in with a tease. “Nanny Darko.” He tossed him a half smile. “Want me to get you an umbrella for your birthday?”

Darko gave him a blank look before he parted his hands and said: “What the fuck does that mean?”

Nigel was shocked. “Are you serious? You don’t know Mary Poppins?”

“I’ve never met anybody named Mary Poppins.”

He groaned, slouching in his chair. “Never mind. You ain’t cultured.”

“Is it that American crap again?”

“Yeah,” Nigel made a sour face at him.

Darko shook his head at him. Whatever, Darko wouldn’t understand even if he’d seen the movie. He’d bet his angel would, though . . .

Nigel furrowed his brow. “Hey, what was it that you wanted to say?”

“Didn’t want to say,” he corrected.

 _“Didn’t_ want to say,” Nigel went along with it, humoring Darko’s nagging.

He hesitated, really thinking it over. For so long that Nigel half-wondered if Darko had forgotten what he was going to say. But, as the silence wore on, Darko finally relented. “It sounds like True Mates.”

Nigel stared at him, brain stopping at the two words. “What?” he stumbled out, too shocked by the idea to even fully comprehend it.

Darko casually gestured with a hand. “It sounds like how True Mates affect one another. I’ve heard talks about lessened attraction to other people. Being able to sate one another with just a look. Softening and strengthening ruts or heats. All sorts of things.”

Nigel stared at him. And stared. And stared some more.

Darko furrowed his brow and tilted his head, waving a hand at him. “Nigel—”

Nigel shot up out of his chair, determination and pure confidence radiating out of every pore.  “I’m going to go pick up a ring.” He made the announcement and was on his way out just like that.

“A ring?!” Darko exclaimed, rising out of his seat. “Nigel, this is _exactly_ why I didn’t want to—”

Nigel tossed a broad grin over his shoulder, looking bright-eyed and more carefree than Darko had ever seen him. “I was already planning to get a ring before you ever mentioned anything about this True Mates business.”

He gave him a blank look, clearly unimpressed. “That doesn’t reassure me in the least.”

“I know,” he said as he turned to the door, smiling to himself.

“You don’t know what size you need,” Darko tried to trip him up with something as insignificant as logic.

“I’ll get it resized,” he said, casually. “The point is I need to have it so I can make my big, romantic gesture right away~”

He walked alongside him, stilling trying to come up with absolutely useless pieces of information that obviously had no bearing on the matter. “You don’t even know what he looks like. You might not even want to fuck the real him, Nigel.”

“It’s not about fucking,” he gave him a side-eye, offended. He glanced ahead of him, a dreamy smile crossing his features. “It was so much more than that. ‘Sides, if he can do what he did to me over the phone, imagine what he can do in real life!”

Darko stopped following him and let him walk ahead a few paces before he dropped the bomb. “You don’t know where he is, Nigel.”

Nigel stopped. Then, he looked back at his closest friend. The man who he’d built his empire with. The one who’d stuck by him through everything. The same man who was questioning him so thoroughly and was just worried about him. “I know that.” He sighed, letting loose a weary, tired smile. He couldn’t count the number of times things blew up in his face or backfired on him. Darko had every right to be concerned. He honestly didn’t blame him. And . . . looking at everything from an outsider’s perspective, yeah, it sounded crazy. Wanting to marry someone he didn’t know. But . . . it felt like he _did_ know his angel. Like everything was right, ready to fall into place. They just hadn’t met yet. But, something inside him was confident— _more_ than confident—that it was all going to work out.

Darko was quiet, waiting for Nigel’s call. Whether he would call the manhunt off or go all in.

Well, Nigel felt like he had a winning hand this time.

He pulled out a cigarette, lit it and took a few puffs. He let the smoke out on an exhale before he spoke. “His initials are A.W.G.”

“Nigel—”

He continued on like Darko hadn’t tried to interrupt him. “He’s American but he’s not in America. He’s a Beta. He has curly brown hair. Not too short or too long. His eyes are blue. His favorite color is red,” he tilted his head. “He mentioned something about comic books.” _Graphic novels._ He smiled at the mental correction he could still hear in the other man’s voice. “And wolves.”

Darko, amazingly enough, was managing to look even more unimpressed than before. “I’m glad we have a rundown of his likes and dislikes so we can set up his fucking profile page.”

Nigel snickered, taking another drag off his cigarette. A glimmer of something snuck into his head just then. “Huh,” he said, absorbed in his thoughts, taking the cigarette out of his mouth. “I remember half-hearing these girls talking to him. One of ‘em was speaking French. Didn’t know much English. And he talked about a café.”

He squinted, hazy memories coming to him. “There was . . . some guy? He sounded French, too. A bakery? Yeah, talking about baguettes and éclairs!” He was going to Sherlock Holmes the _fuck_ out of the situation!

He gave Darko a triumphant look. “I think he’s somewhere in France. Get on this right away.”

He turned back and pointed at him, giving one last piece of information. “And check for old, interesting looking buildings and architecture. He was researching that stuff.”

He was on the scent now!

 

**.oOo.**

 

_Weeks later._

Nigel was in France, stomping down the sidewalk, more moody than ever, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he went through a pack of smokes like tic-tac’s. He’d resigned himself to the knowledge that it would take some time to find his angel. Even with how much he’d managed to narrow it down. But, after a while, his heart had sunk and he began to lose hope. His angel hadn’t been wherever he was to stay. It wasn’t home to him. Just a place to find what he needed. And that worried Nigel because it meant he wouldn’t be in one place for long. If Nigel didn’t find him before he left, it was pretty slim that they’d ever cross paths again. Doubts had started worming their way into Nigel’s brain. What if he’d gotten something wrong? Maybe what he’d heard in the background was just coincidental and his angel was somewhere else entirely?

Just then, as he was passing by a bookstore, something caught Nigel’s eye. He came to a dead halt, sharp eyes narrowing in on the book stand outside the shop. He tilted his head, examining the covers for what had stuck out to him until his prize revealed itself. He turned and marched over to the stand, fixated on one image and one alone.

There. A red comic book. With an intricate picture of a wolf on it. And . . .

“No way. No fuckin’ way,” he whispered to himself, amazed.

He stuck out his hand, tracing delicately, reverently, over the cover before he picked up the book, awe-struck as he brought it closer for a more thorough inspection. On the right side, small and inconspicuous but meaning everything to Nigel in that moment, were the letters: A. W. G.

_“It means a lot to me!”_

His lips parted in understanding. His beautiful voice. His angel. He was an artist. A comic book artist. _That’s_ why. That’s why he’d been doing research. Why comic books meant so much to him. Why he had a deadline.  

 “Damn you,” his mouth split into a grin. “Damn you to hell, you fucking teasing son of a bitch.”

It was him. Somehow or another, he just knew it was his sweetheart. The bitch who he’d dreamed about ever since their fateful phone call. The one he’d gotten more and more obsessed with every day. The one who haunted him every minute of every day.

He hadn’t found him yet, but it was a big step in the right direction. He checked the comic for more information, knowing that a deadline meant a publisher.

He pulled out his phone and dialed quickly. “Darko? Yeah. It’s me, Nigel. I got a lead.”

After he made arrangements for Darko to use his connections to pay Mr. AWG’s publisher a visit for details on his last known whereabouts, he grinned and patted the ring he had in his pocket just waiting to be put on his angel’s finger.

“Better practice your “I do’s,” angel,” he smiled, deciding he was going to read the comic. He flipped to the start, mouth parting in awe at the beautiful images his angel had created. He ran a finger down the page, falling deeper and deeper in love from the beauty his angel was capable of bringing to the world. He’d always loved art in all its forms.

Life was going to be a fucking masterpiece when they found each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading and I do hope you enjoyed it~! I'd love to know what you liked or hear any random babbling. Comments feed my creative soul~ I do apologize if there are any mistakes. I'd be happy to know if there are some I missed. I beta'd this one rather quickly in my eagerness to unleash it.


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